Punch Drunk Love
by bellakitse
Summary: A drunken night at her friend's bachelorette party reveals long forgotten feelings. Takes place six years after high school.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Punch Drunk Love **

**Category: Glee**

**Ship: Rachel/Puck**

**Genre: Romance/Drama/Humor**

**Rated: PG-13**

**Word Count: 1883**

**Summary: A drunken night at her friend's bachelorette party reveals long forgotten feelings. Takes place six years after high school.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or it's characters.**

**Chapter 1.**

Her tongue felt like sand paper, her eyes burned like crazy and she was pretty sure someone was tap dancing on her brain in four-inch stiletto heels.

"Tequila bad…" She croaked out as she raised herself to her elbows, one of her hands went to the corner of her mouth to wipe away the moisture, drooling in her sleep. Lovely! "Tequila very, very bad."

She squinted, looking around the unfamiliar room, not being able to place where she was. She wasn't in her posh New York condo she knew that much, her room much like her apartment was sleek and classic. There was too much flower wallpaper here to be her room. Looking around some more, she figured she must be in her best friend's guest room, the portrait of Jesus was a pretty good tip after all. Now if she could just remember how she made it to the bed she was currently on, that would be great. She shifted in the bed when she realized that something was more horribly wrong than her hazy memory. As she moved, she felt movement behind her, noticing for the first time there was something very warm and large pressed against her back. She could feel a warm breath against her shoulder and as she tried to move again, an arm not her own shot out, wrapping itself around her waist, over the covers. She looked down at the offensive appendage. It was a nice tanned color and strong, sprinkled with fine black hairs.

'_No,'_ she closed her eyes. '_No, no, no, no. Not real. Please, dear lord, no.' _

A very deep, very male, very amused and rough-from-sleep voice interrupted her inner freak-out. "What's the matter, Berry, it's too early for your drama."

Rachel Berry's eyes opened so wide she half feared they would pop straight out of her skull. She knew that voice; it was one that that had been haunting her for the last six years since she left Lima. Jumping out of the bed, feeling less graceful as she stumbled to her feet, she kept her back to the man that she had been sharing a bed with.

'_Why, why her,'_ She thought pitifully. _'She was a good Jew.'_

She turned around slowly and even though she knew who she would find there, seeing him lying where only seconds ago she had lain was still a shock to the system. It was so long ago since they had shared a bed. Seeing him there, the white sheets a stark contrast from his tanned body sent a simultaneous sense of sexual awareness and a sense of lost.

"Hey baby girl," Her ex-boyfriend of six-plus years said, a delighted grin on his handsome ass-hat face.

"Noah…"

She was going to kill Quinn.

**72 hours earlier…..**

Rachel Berry loved to fly; she wasn't prone to fear it. She liked the slight jump in her stomach every time the plane takes off, she liked the fact that she can get anywhere in the world in a matter of hours as opposed to days or even weeks in a car or a train or a luxury ship. She liked going to different places, however, when that place was Ohio…well, all of a sudden flying lost its appeal. She fidgeted in her first class seat wondering how she was made to feel guilty and suckered into this.

_**"It's my wedding, Berry, and you are one of my closest friends. You have to be the maid-of-honor, you have to be here!"_

_Rachel sighed as she moved around her room, looking for her beige pumps with the open toe, she could hear the slight petulant tone in her friend's voice. Holding the phone between her ear and her shoulder, she looked under her bed. "Quinn, I'm going to be late getting to the theater, can't we talk about this later?"_

"_No."_

"_Quinn," Rachel whined._

"_Nope, you've been putting this off and my wedding is in a month, you are agreeing to come home and being my maid-of-honor now or I'm just going to keep on calling." _

"_I could just hang up and turn off my phone." Rachel pointed out, letting a shout of happiness as she found her shoes._

"_Then I'll just keep calling the theater, I'm sure your director will loooove that," Quinn answered smugly._

"_Ugh," Rachel groaned as she went to put on her jacket, making her way to the door. "Remember when we hated each other's guts and fought over boys, I miss that."_

"_Ditto, man hands," Quinn quipped, smiling when she heard Rachel mumbled about her hands being perfect. "But we decided to be friends long ago and now we're stuck with each other and that means you will be my maid-of-honor or Kurt will try to be it and you know he'll put on a prettier dress just to outshine me."_

_Rachel laughed at the mental picture. "And we can't have that."_

"_Right." Quinn answered amused, before turning serious. "Rach, please, I need you here, I'm so happy but scared shitless. Please, I need you to hold my hand."_

_Rachel closed her eyes as she leaned against her door. "I wouldn't be able to make it until about a week before the wedding, so I can't help you with much."_

_Quinn grinned as she heard Rachel weakening. "That's okay, between Kurt and Mercedes I have a lot of help, plus my mom and Finn's, I'm on help overload, and I just need you to stand next to me that day."_

_Rachel smiled tenderly even though her friend couldn't see it. "Then I wouldn't miss it for the world, I'll be there, Quinn."**_

"Ladies and Gentlemen… we are now starting our descend to 'Dayton International Airport', we should be landing in just a few minutes. The temperature is a nice seventy-seven degrees, a perfect spring day in Ohio. On behalf of myself and the crew, we hope you enjoyed your flight and will think of Delta for your future flying needs. Thank you and have a nice day."

Rachel rolled her neck, reminding herself to relax. She waited until the plane came to a stop and unbuckled her belt. Standing up, she stretched her back, noticing how the man across the aisle gave her a once over. She smiled to herself as she smoothed out the lines of her snug-fit knee-length skirt, knowing that the combination of the skirt and her high heels along with her silk blouse with a plunging neck line gave her a sophisticated sexy look completely different from the girl who once liked animal sweaters. Flashing him an amused smile as he stared too long, Rachel started to make her way out of the plane with her carryon in hand. She arrived at baggage claim, pulling along the matching luggage once she spotted it. Balancing it, she walked slowly through the crowd, looking out for blonde hair or a giant. She started to smile as up ahead she saw her name written on white cardboard being held up.

"Hey," She said with a wide smile to the person whose face was covered by the large sign. "I'm Rachel…"

"Berry," The person finished as he brought the sign down, flashing a wide grin. "You look good, baby girl."

Rachel stared at the man in front of her, her smile along with her body frozen. "Noah…"

_**"So we need to talk about…"_

"_Nope."_

"_Rachel…"Quinn sighed over the phone. "We need to talk about him."_

_Rachel shook her head insistently, knowing that while Quinn couldn't see it, she would be able to hear it. _

"_No, we don't, my trip home has nothing to do with him, and I don't plan on even seeing him."_

"_That's going to be hard since he's Finn's best man."_

_Rachel groaned as she laid back on her bed. "Why? He knocked you up once upon a time."_

"_Nice," Quinn said sarcastically._

"_Sorry," Rachel apologized "But true." _

"_Still, he's a good friend and you're going to have to deal with him."_

_Rachel sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose._

"_He's doing good, Rachel. His business is good and…I think he misses..."_

"_No," Rachel interrupted. "Just no, do me a favor, Quinn, please, I'll be at your wedding but the less we talk and the less I see Noah Puckerman the better."**_

"Rachel?"

Rachel looked at the man in front of her, his smile growing the longer she stayed quiet.

"I still leave you speechless, baby girl, I'm flattered." Puck joked.

"Don't call me that," Rachel said, narrowing her eyes at the cocky way he spoke to her and suppressing the thrill his confidence and swagger always had given her. "Why are you here, where are Quinn and Finn?"

Puck cleared his throat at the harsh tone her voice had taken. "Wedding duties."

"Right," Rachel mocked, crossing her arms. "And you were the only one who could pick me up; I'm going to kill Quinn."

Puck stared at her chest, admiring the way her arms pushed up her cleavage, giving him a great view.

"My face is up here, pervert." Rachel said, snapping her fingers in front of his face.

"Just checking out the goods." Puck answered, not at all embarrassed at being caught smirking as she gave him a scathing look. "You really do look good, baby girl."

"I told you not to call me that." Rachel snapped.

Puck rolled his eyes as he leaned down to grab her bag. "Whatever, princess, let's just go."

"I don't want to go with you."

"Look, Berry, it's only fifty-eight miles to Lima, I think you can survive being in car with me for that long, right?," Puck asked tiredly, not surprised that his ex was making this difficult. He watched as she looked at him defiantly and tried a different approach. "That is unless you're scared to being in a closed space with me. Hey, I don't blame you, once you've had the 'Pucker', it's hard not to come back for more."

"Ugh!" Rachel exclaimed, not caring that people around the airport were starting to give them looks, the ones close enough to hear were amused. She walked up close to him, her body brushing his, her face inches away from his. "I'm not here because 'it's hard not to come back for more'. After six years Noah I think I can handle it, let's go and handle my luggage with care, it's expensive."

Rachel moved around him, leaving him behind as she made her way out the terminal doors. Puck remained behind, telling his body to calm down; the feel of her body even for a second had sent a shot of arousal through it. He needed to get a grip. Turning around, he followed her out, loving the way her heart-shaped ass moved in her tight black skirt.

His girl always did have the best backside.

Reaching the outside, he led her to his car not missing the look of surprise on her face when she saw that it was expensive and new. He also didn't miss the look of apprehension on her face as they both closed their doors, leaving them in a small space away from the world outside his car. That look on her face reminded him that she wasn't his girl anymore, not yet anyway.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2.**

Rachel paced the floral room, every once in a while glaring at the smiling idiot on the bed. Coming to a halt, she stood before him, hands on hips, too annoyed to care about the fact that he was staring at her matching-underwear-clad body "Why were we in bed together, Noah?"

Puck shrugged his shoulder, amused as he looked up at her. "Because you find me irresistible."

Rachel let out a frustrated growl and stomped her foot, only to let out a painful groan when her head pulsed. "Noah!"

"Do that again!" Puck requested, sitting up on the bed with the cover pooling at his waist, his lips curving as he spoke when he caught her eyes tracking his upper body. "You jiggled in all the right places just now."

Rachel leaned down, her face close to his as she pointed her index finger at him. "I will smother you with a pillow if you don't start talking, Noah, I swear."

Puck pressed his lips together to keep from laughing as she pulled back. "What do you remember?"

"I remember being dressed, for one thing." Rachel answered frostily. "Where is my dress?"

"I thought you would be more comfortable without it." Puck answered, holding up a hand when he saw she was ready to start ranting. "What else do you remember?"

Rachel frowned. "Quinn's bachelorette party, karaoke…"

Puck arched a dark eyebrow at her. "And?"

Rachel moaned, her headache growing. "Tequila, lots of tequila."

He laughed softly. "You drank your weight in it. And?"

"You and the boys crashed the party." Rachel continued, flashes of shots, loud music, lights and boisterous female and male laughter going through her head. She looked at the man in front of her, his enjoyment obvious. "Noah, did I sing last night?"

"Ohhh yeah," Puck dragged out the words, a wicked smile showed his pearly whites. "You sure as hell did and so much more."

**72 hours earlier… **

"We have arrived." Puck announced as they pulled up to the modest Hudson-Fabray house.

Rachel smiled as she looked out the window at the lovely home. "It's prettier than the picture Quinn sent me when they bought it."

Puck let out a snort. "That's because when they bought it, it was a dump. It's taken Finn and me a long time to fix it up."

Rachel opened her door, breathing in the clean Ohio air. "You put in the flower beds?"

"Yeah," Puck chuckled as he pulled her luggage from the trunk. "Fabray wouldn't let Finn near her flowers."

Rachel laughed along with him, easily picturing her blonde friend's refusal of letting her fiancé getting anywhere near her flowers.

"See, that wasn't so hard." Puck commented tenderly as he came up to her, bags in hand.

Rachel looked at him curiously, her hand suddenly moist at the soft look he was giving her.

"You smiling and laughing around me, just like old times."

Rachel swallowed the lump of emotion stuck in her throat. "Nothing between us is like old times, Noah, you made sure of that."

"Baby girl." He whispered, pained, taking a step forward, sighing when she side-stepped him and started to walk to the house.

The front door opened as she reached it, a friendly giant walked out, a huge smile on his face. "Rach! You made it!"

Rachel smiled, letting out a laugh when Finn wrapped his arms around her waist and spun her around.

"Hey Finn." She greeted once he finally stopped spinning her and returning her to earth. "Where is your evil half?"

Finn gave her a look before looking behind her at Puck who was sporting a dark look. "The ride over went that good, huh?"

"You are marrying a meddler, Finn."

Finn smiled happily, letting out a gushing sigh. "I know."

"Oh god, you guys are even more nauseating now, aren't you?" Rachel asked.

"Yes," Puck answered as he came up next to her, annoyed when she ignored him, shooting another dark look at his friend.

Finn smirked. "Rach, Quinn's inside the kitchen. Why don't you go in while I help Puck with your things."

"Great," Rachel said, already moving forward happily taking his out.

Finn turned and watched her walk away with Puck bumping his shoulder against his friend's. "So how did it go?"

"She hates my guts." Puck answered matter-of-factly, hating how true the words were.

Finn nodded in agreement. "That sounds about right."

Puck rolled his eyes at the lack of sympathy. "Gee thanks, Finn, that was helpful."

"You're surprised?" Finn looked at him strangely. "Really? After what you did?"

"I hoped it would be better."

"I didn't."

"Thanks, jackass." He said sarcastically. "That's very encouraging."

"No problem, bitch." Finn grinned widely. "Come let's get inside, you have your work cut out for you."

"You know you don't have to be so happy about it." Puck said, picking up Rachel's bag again, making his way into the house. "I thought you were on my side."

"I am." Finn assured him. "I would love nothing more than you and Rachel together again; I know you haven't been the same without her."

"But?" Puck questioned suspiciously.

"But that doesn't mean I can't enjoy the show while she makes you squirm." Finn laughed, ducking when Puck tried to hit him with Rachel's carryon.

"I need a new best friend." Puck gave him a sideways glance. "You're defective."

xxx

"Lucy," Rachel called out as she entered the kitchen, her hands on her hips. "You have some explaining to do."

Quinn turned around, a huge smile on her already beautiful face; letting out a girlish squeal, she bounced over to the small brunette, throwing her arms around her. "You're here!"

Rachel returned the hug just as tightly, getting over her annoyance. It was a common occurrence; their fights didn't last long, ever since she and Quinn had decided back in high school that hating each other's guts was too tiresome. Both of them had concluded then, after a particularly nasty fight that had ended with ripped clothes and pulled hair, that being friends would be easier.

Pulling back, Quinn gave Rachel a smug smile that reminded Rachel so much of the old teenage Quinn that drove her crazy. "So, did you leave him on the side of the road bloody, or did he come back in one piece?"

Rachel rolled her eyes and even suppressed the urge to laugh. "Was that the objective of that little surprise pick-up?"

Quinn shrugged, going back to the stove where pots were boiling. "That or sweaty 'it's been to long' side-of-the-road sex. Fighting and sex, it's two of the things you two did best."

"Meddler."

Quinn shrugged again, unrepentant. "I'm the bride-to-be, these days I can get away with murder; everyone wants to keep me happy."

Rachel sat on a stool, leaning against the island in the middle of the kitchen. "And this is different from any other time, how?"

Quinn smirked. "It's not my fault. Can you say no to this face?" She pointed at it.

Rachel nodded. "When it has that evil expression, yes."

Quinn just laughed and leaned in close to her friend. "Sooo, how'd it go?"

"Oh," Rachel said, relaxed. "You know he was there, I was there, next thing you know we're wrapped in each other's arms and he kissed the breath out of me."

Quinn grinned as she rocked on the balls of her feet. "Really?"

"No," Rachel said sarcastically. "The man made sure I left Ohio with a shattered heart, there was no epic reunion."

"Oh." Quinn pouted. "Well, if I asked you to have sweaty sex with Puckerman as a wedding present…."

Rachel stared at her, amazed as she realized that her friend wasn't making a joke. "I'd tell you you're cracked and to… Bite. Me."

"That's no way to talk to the bride-to-be." Quinn seriously reminded her. "It's my special day."

Rachel snorted, knowing that Quinn had been milking this for all it's worth. "Not for a week, bridezilla, I'm going to go upstairs and take a shower. I have airplane smell on me."

"Dinner is in forty minutes!"

xxx

Rachel came down, refreshed and clean, her wet hair pulled back in a loose ponytail, tendrils framing her face.

"No, no, no, Finn, take that chair away. There needs to be only four chairs so Rachel will sit next to this idiot."

"Hey!"

"I'm trying to help you, Puckerman, so shut it!"

Rachel covered her mouth as she hovered by the doorway, rolling her eyes as Quinn and Puck started calling each other names.

Rachel cleared her throat, making her presence known as she walked in. She shook her head as she saw that they had placed her chair really close to the one where Puck sat.

"Rach!" Quinn said happily, getting rid of the glare on her face she had directed at Puck. "Good shower?"

"Great, Judas." Rachel replied, giving the chair and then Quinn a knowing look before sitting down.

Quinn ignored the jab, too pleased with herself, she sat down herself, passing plates of pasta around, along with salad and garlic bread. And then, passed a bottle of wine for Finn to open. "These are the last carbs I'm having this week, it's salad and water until the wedding."

"Let's see you say that at the bachelorette party." Rachel said, taking a sip of the glass Finn put before her. "Kurt has e-mailed me plans, large amounts of alcohol seem to be involved."

"As long as there are no naked men." Finn said through a mouthful, while Quinn and Rachel gave each other smirks.

Quinn placed her hand over Finn's. "Sure, honey."

Rachel and Puck looked at each other, amused at their innocent friend.

Finn looked at Rachel with warm eyes. "So, Rach, how's New York."

Rachel smiled. "Good, the play is doing great; my understudy was so happy that she'll get to perform this week in my absence."

Quinn raised an eyebrow. "The old Rachel would be freaking out that someone's moving into her spotlight."

Rachel shrugged. "It's only for a week and she's a nice girl, but I'm not worried, this isn't _All about Eve_."

"She's scared shitless of you." Puck stated, his mouth lifted. "Isn't she?"

Rachel laughed, the corners of her eyes crinkling. "Totally!"

Puck laughed along with her, warmed by her bell-like laugh. His hand brushed hers as he moved to face her more and he breathed a sigh of relief when she didn't move her hand. "How do your dads like the move to New York? My Ma says they are really missed at the Temple."

"They love it." Rachel answered, looking at him. "They're in Long Island, so they get some of the quiet they like from here, but they come to visit me in the city all the time."

"I bet it's great to have them there." He said softly.

Rachel nodded, looking down at her plate. "Yeah…it was hard being there alone for five years, having them there now…it helps."

Everyone remained quiet for the rest of the dinner not knowing what to say when there was this every big elephant in the room. Once plates where cleared, Rachel pushed Finn and Quinn out of the kitchen. Setting herself at the sink, she started to wash plates and pots. She could hear behind her as Puck brought more stuff from the dining room.

"You wash, I dry?" He asked gently, close behind her.

She could almost feel his body heat against her back. Without answering, she grabbed a clean rag, passing it to him. She ignored the clench in her stomach when he held her wet hand in his dry one a beat longer than necessary. She also blocked the feel of his hip pressed to hers as he moved to stand next to her. She would not react. She would not, even though every part of her wanted to turn to him.

Puck looked at her sideways and took in her furrowed brow and the way she bit her lips. "Those are some heavy thoughts you got going on in that pretty head of yours, Berry."

Rachel sighed as she shut off the water and turned around, leaning against the counter.

"It's not easy being around you, Noah." She admitted.

Puck put down the rag and moved to stand in front of her. "You're telling me, I've never been this uncomfortable in my life."

Rachel nodded in agreement.

"I've also never been this happy to be uncomfortable." He continued. "I'm so happy you're here and in front of me to be uncomfortable with."

"Noah," She shook her head and tried to move away only to be caged in by Puck's arms resting on either side of her body, he's much closer now. "Don't do this."

"Don't what, Rach?" He asked. "Don't tell you that I've missed you, that I have missed you every day for the last six years and there hasn't been a day that I don't think of you and what we use to have, because I can't. I've never missed anyone the way I've missed you. I've never missed anything the way I've missed us."

Rachel closed her eyes, willing the tears that had gathered in her eyes to not to spill out. Opening them she looked at him sadly.

"_You_," She started and stopped as her voice cracked. "Broke _us_, Noah, you decided that we didn't need to be together. Have you forgotten that? Have you forgotten that _you_ broke up with _me? _And then proceeded to stick your tongue down Quinn's throat to prove how over _us _you were or did you forget that graduation party?"

Puck clenched his jaw until he thought it would break at being reminded once again how much of an idiot he was back then and told her as much.

Rachel snorted as a single tear spilled passed her eyelids. "Something we agree on, Noah, you were an idiot."

Puck remained quiet.

"Look." She started, all of a sudden tired. "Why don't we just let this go, I'm here for a week and then I go home and we won't have to deal with any of this, okay?"

Puck shook his head. "I can't do that, I can't imagine a life where I don't get to hold you again."

Rachel gave him a sad smile. "And back then I couldn't imagine a world where you would hurt me."

"Rachel…"

"But it still happened, Noah."

**Review Please, **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**.

"Well…that was intense."

Rachel looked up from the bed at the door where Finn covered the doorway with his tall frame, his shoulder hunched as he stuffed his hands in his jeans. "And you would know how?"

Finn shrugged as he crossed the threshold and answered honestly. "We were eavesdropping from the dining room."

Rachel let out a humorless chuckle as she moved so Finn could sit on the bed next to her. "You and Quinn have no shame."

Finn shrugged again, giving her a sheepish smile.

Rolling her eyes, Rachel gave him a small smile, letting him know that she wasn't really all that upset with them. "And why are you here? Ready to give me a good talking to instead of Q?"

Finn laid himself out on the queen-size bed, staring at the pastel green ceiling and waited for Rachel to do the same. "We played rock, paper, scissor… loser got Puck, and winner got you."

Rachel let out a soft laugh. "Sure, okay, winner lay it on me."

Finn stayed quiet for a moment not really knowing where to begin. While he agreed with his fiancée that it was way overdue that Rachel and Puck settle all the crap between them and he would like nothing more than to see them come together again, it didn't mean he knew how to approach it or if it was even his and Quinn's place to intervene. The four of them had so much history among them to move through; their high school days were filled with both couple bouncing between each other and along the way they had caused each other pain and tears before they figured where and with whom each person belonged with.

"You remember that night?" He asked quietly as he turned to look at her.

Rachel turned her head showing disbelief clear in her big brown eyes. "You mean the night my boyfriend broke my heart, humiliated me using Quinn to do so and almost broke your friendship with him? No, Finn, I don't remember that at all…"

**Six years earlier**

_** The music pulsed through Mercedes' living room as a sizeable amount of Mckinley seniors mingled, celebrating the fact that there was only a week left of their high school days. Rachel laughed in a circle of her friends as Kurt tease his boyfriend Blaine with an imitation of his dancing while looking around the room for her own boyfriend. She smiled as Blaine threatened to cut him off if he kept teasing him. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught her boyfriend near the back door of the kitchen staring at her with a serious expression on his face. He tilted his head indicating outside before walking out the door. Excusing herself, Rachel made her way through the room as she followed him out. She smiled as she found him leaning against the porch railing._

"_Hey, party animal." She said softly, grinning up at him as she stood in front of him, stepping in between his opened legs, her hands running up and down his muscular arms. "You've been very quiet, Puckerman."_

"_Hmm," He hummed as he looked at her, his hand touched her hair before sliding over her face, taking his time, he traced each individual feature. Rachel simply watched him as he studied her, she could feel the air around them become thick with something indefinable and it made her uncomfortable. It caused an unexplainable ache that had her throat tightening. For days Puck had been acting oddly and out of character—quiet, almost, melancholy. "Noah, what is it?"_

_Puck shook his head softly and she could see the smile he offered her was strain. She closed her eyes as he closed the gap between them, her lips already parted and waiting for his as he covered her mouth with his. The intensity of the kiss didn't surprise her but the desperation of it did. It seeped from him into her as he gripped her tightly. Moving off the railing, he spun them around and lifted her unto it. His hands pried her legs open so he could step between them; they skimmed her skin, his callous fingers raising goose bumps on her skin as they ran up her thighs, seeking her core. She pulled back from the kiss throwing her head back as he pushed her panties to the side and pumped two fingers inside her hard and deep._

_He continued touching her as his other hand went to his belt. He struggled with it for a moment before she helped him undo it, pushing his pants down enough to free him from them. He pulled her even closer and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he brushed his length against her._

"_Ah…Noah" She said brokenly as the head of his cock pressed against her clit before finding her opening; she bit her lip to keep from crying out as he thrust to the hilt._

"_Rach, look at me." He said softly, his voice unlike hers, even and in control. She did as he asked. Her insides quivering as she looked into his dark eyes, his expression fierce. He moved, pulling back to the tip before filling her again. She could feel herself getting closer as his thrust got harder and knew he wasn't far behind. She broke as he gave her a final push, his pelvis crushing her clit. She splintered in his arms, shaking as her orgasm came in waves. She breathed hard as she leaned against his chest, smiling as she felt him rub circles with a jerky hand over her back._

"_That was fun." She let out a happy satisfied chuckle as she felt him give one last twitch inside her. She looked at him again and gave his chin a chaste kiss. "I love you, Noah."_

"_I want to break up."_

_Rachel let out a laugh that slowly died when he didn't laugh or smile. "Very funny."_

_He pulled back. Pulling out of her, he tucked himself back into his pants and fixed her clothes quickly. Running a hand over his shaved head, he took a step away from her. "I'm not joking. This, us… we're done."_

_Rachel looked at him and could see the way his hand shook but his face never changed. She hopped off the railing and took a step towards him, frowning when he took another step away from her. "I don't get the joke, Noah, so stop."_

"_I just told you… I'm not joking."_

"_Noah, we're not breaking up. We're leaving for New York City after graduation."_

_She watched as he shook his head. "You're leaving for NYC, I'm not going with you."_

"_Noah," She started taking a deep breath as she felt her throat start to spasm from holding back the fear and tears that were quickly collecting inside her. _

"_We're done, Rachel."_

"_Then what the hell was this just about!" She screamed out, losing her control quickly. "We just had sex a few minutes ago. Hell, I can still feel you inside me."_

_She watched as he simply shrugged. "That was a good-bye fuck, something for you to remember me by."_

_Rachel let out a gasp at the coldness of the words. Her head snapping back, she reeled back, feeling as if he had slapped her. "You don't mean this. You love me."_

_He didn't answer her._

"_You don't want to do this, Noah."_

"_What I don't want is to be with you anymore."_

"_No."_

_He made a frustrated noise at her response. "Fine, you don't believe me, then, that's your problem, Rachel, but as of this second I'm a free agent."_

_Rachel stood still, frozen as he walked away from her, going back into the party. She reached up to brush the tears that had started free-falling down her cheeks, and bit down on her bottom lip to stop the sob that was stuck at the back of her throat. She reached out to hold on to the wall to keep from falling as her legs shook. She didn't understand any of this. She couldn't believe it. Her Noah would never talk to her like this, treat her like this. She closed her eyes and forced herself to take deep breathes until she thought she could control her emotions enough to go back inside. She just needed to talk to him. She wiped her face once more as she crossed the door before looking for her boyfriend. She found him talking to Quinn. She frowned as she saw the causal way he was carrying himself, as if he hadn't just ended their two-year relationship. She started walking to them, she knew the second he realized she was moving closer to him and her best friend. She watched almost in slow motion as he took a step closer to Quinn. She noticed the confused frown her friend gave him. It was like a train wreck that couldn't be stopped but you couldn't stop watching it either. A gasp rung out through the house and she knew it didn't just come out of her mouth as Puck leaned down and kissed Quinn passionately. _

_The reaction was instant: A shout came from across the room where Finn stood with Mike and Sam holding him back from lunging at Puck, Quinn pushing against Puck's shoulder to make him let her go._

_Both Quinn and Finn screaming out the same question. "Puck, what the hell!"_

_She watched as Puck didn't answer and simply look at her, causing everyone else to do the same, waiting for her reaction. Quinn quickly moved away from him, going to her instead of her furious boyfriend. "Rach, I don't know what that was about but I didn't kiss him."_

_Rachel looked at the blonde in front of her as she gave her a worried look. She tried to smile at her friend but couldn't, she reached for Quinn's hand, squeezing it. "I know this is about me and Noah, sorry you got dragged into it."_

_She turned back to her now ex-boyfriend and stared him down, calling on every acting ability to give him her best cold diva glare. "Message received Puckerman, we're done."**_

"Most humiliating night of my life." Rachel whispered as she looked at Finn. "And pain filled."

"He was an idiot, Rach." Finn said as he clasped her hand in his. "But he had his reasons for doing what he did, as stupid as it was. He thought he was doing the right thing."

"He didn't, though."

Finn smiled. "No argument, I know why he did what he did and think it's the stupidest thing I've ever heard which is saying something considering some of the things I've said and done."

Rachel chuckled at the comment. "You did have your moments."

Finn nodded. "You still love him, Rachel? I think you do, but if you can honestly tell me you don't, I'll back off and tell Quinn to cool it with playing cupid."

"As if you could stop Fabray from doing anything."

"Hey!" Finn exclaimed, pouting. "I could _try_."

She laughed again, trailing off as she considered her friend's question. "I think I'll always love Noah, at least the Noah before that night… that boy who loved me as much as I loved him."

"He's still that boy, Rachel." Finn said as he sat up again, looking down again. "That guy hasn't stop loving you."

Rachel sat up too and as she looked at him, Finn was reminded of a younger Rachel—sad and small, with big brown eyes filled with tears. "He hurt me."

"Maybe it's time you ask him why."

Review. Please and thank you ;)


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: So I'm not sure how many people are going to like this chapter or Noah's reasoning. I'll be the first to admit that what the boy did was stooooopid and that's really the point, he was young, he was scared, he was in love and went about is so very, very wrong. **

**As always thanks to my beta and thanks to you guys for putting this story on alerts and faves and reviewing! Ten points to the person who can guess what show the brooding shoulders thing is from. One guess it's the greatest show alive!**

**Chapter 4.**

Their plates were washed, dried and put away; Noah Puckerman braced his arms against the sink looking down as the water swirled down the drain.

"Are you mentally comparing your life to the dirty dish water going down the drain?"

Noah let out a sound that was much like a huff and shook his head not bothering to turn around to the person behind him.

"Are you brooding?"

"No." He answered, annoyed.

"Really? Cause I can't see your face but those are definitely your brooding shoulders."

Puck turned and leaned against the counter as he crossed his arms over his chest, rolling his eyes at the amused look the blonde in front of him was giving him. "I have brooding shoulders?"

Quinn nodded as she walked over and pushed up to sit on the counter. "And back in high school you had douche bag hair."

"My hawk was awesome." Puck argued, running a hand over his shaved head.

"Keep believing that, Puckerman." Quinn quipped smartly, the smug smile on her face turning into a concerned expression. "You okay?"

"You know as much as you remind me all the time, I'm really not that stupid." Puck said quietly, looking down at the white-tiled floor. "As much as I wished, I knew she wasn't going to run into my arms, I knew this was going to be a hard sale and I know there's a very good chance she will not forgive me. Not only was I an idiot, I was cruel."

"You'll get no argument from me." Quinn answered; her tone soft to take the bite out of the words.

Puck lifted a brow. "For once, and it's not even in my favor."

Quinn ignored the comment and continued. "You know she never told me what you did. Rachel talks about everything and when she got to New York, she would call and tell me how it was, what she missed from here, she told me about her first date after you, the first time she slept with someone after you."

"I don't need to hear that." Puck said quickly, a sour taste in his mouth at Quinn's words.

"Tough!" Quinn answered. "My point is, she's shared everything as always, but whenever I asked about that night she would clam up and while I think it had to do with the pain she was feeling, I also think the other part was she feared Finn and I would pick sides if we knew the damage you did and you would be alone. Even after everything, she was still making sure you were okay."

"Like I didn't feel enough like an ass, you have to go and say that?"

Quinn rolled her eyes. "Missing the point again, dumbass… she wouldn't have done that even now years later if she didn't care about you."

xxx

A knock at her door an hour later interrupted Rachel's stare contest with the framed picture of Jesus across her bed.

"You win this time." She murmured at the portrait as she got up and walked over to the door. "Guess it's your turn, Q…"

"Not Quinn." Puck answered with a hesitant smile.

"Oh!" Rachel blinked. "I thought…Finn was up here earlier talking to me…"

"And you figured it was her turn." Puck nodded in understanding. "I can guess what that's about; she probably would have but Finn's mom called them over for something to do with the sitting arrangement. They left like it was _Apocalypse Now,_ baby."

Rachel let out a small laugh as she pictured Quinn with the crazy look Puck made. "It's been like that a lot, hasn't it?"

Puck rolled his eyes and bobbed his head up and down. "Nonstop."

"Remind me if I ever get married to just go to Vegas." Rachel joked.

Puck looked at her with warm eyes. "I'll make a note."

Rachel fidgeted as he stared at her, she could feel the room get warmer or maybe it was her skin. She cleared her throat mentally, swatting away runway thoughts. "So what do you want?"

"I…" Puck licked his lips. "I want you to come somewhere with me, I have something to show you."

She watched curiously as this time Puck fidgeted uncomfortably, having never seen Puck in a situation where he wasn't full of confidence and bravado; it was strange to see it now. It peaked her interest.

"Where?" She asked cautiously.

"It's…" Puck started. "You just kind of have to see it, Rach."

"Okay." She said slowly, a raised an eyebrow as he exhaled at her agreement as tentative as it was. "Do I need to change?"

Puck gave her a slow once over, and this time she knew it wasn't her room but her skin heating up at his near tactile look. "No, you're perfect."

She breathed a sigh of relief as he turned saying he would wait for her down stairs, leaving her alone. Walking over to the mirror she checked her make-up and scowled at her reflection. "Don't go doing something stupid, Rachel Barbara Berry, like going and falling in love with that man again."

xxx

The car ride wasn't all that long but it was quiet, just the radio filling in the silence and Rachel found herself humming to a familiar song, smiling smugly when Puck gave her an incredulous look.

"You know 'My morning Jacket'?"

Rachel gave him a lofty look. "It surprises you that I know a rock band?"

"Yes." Puck answered honestly as he slowed his car to a stop in front of a store with its lights on.

Rachel didn't bother to move when she saw that Puck didn't open his door yet. "I'm full of surprises."

"You always were." Puck commented and pointed at the store. "We're here."

Rachel looked out the window at what he was pointing to— a guitar store.

"Come on." Puck said as he opened the car and got out. Rachel followed his lead and waited, looking up at the sign as he locked up his car.

"Pluck a String." Rachel read the sign aloud.

Puck shrugged as he led her to the door. "Pluck, Puck, they're close enough."

"Wait!" Rachel held up a hand. "What?"

"Come in." Puck ignored her question and opened the door.

"Bossman!"

Rachel looked over at the counter as Puck nodded at a young guy with blond shaggy hair.

"Hey, James." Puck walked over to his worker. "How's business?"

"Copasetic." James answered, a goofy smile on his face as he looked at Rachel.

Puck turned to Rachel. "Rach, this is James, James this is Rachel. We'll be in my workshop okay? And it's getting late, so why don't you close early and go home?"

James nodded as he turned to Puck. "Cool."

Rachel stared at Puck with wide eyes. "You own this place?"

Puck nodded as he took her hand. "Yes, but that's not what I want to show you."

Pulling her along, he took her through a door to a back room, turning on the lights. Rachel found herself in a room with designs, planks of wood and half-made guitars.

"This is my work shop." Puck said as he stuck out his arms.

"You…" Rachel started at a loss for words. "Make guitars?"

Puck nodded, watching her as she started to walk around, stopping every few steps to reach out and touch something. "Every guitar here is custom made."

Rachel looked up at him. "How?"

Puck just shrugged his shoulders. "In Lima U I took music, carpentry and some design courses. One day I mixed all three and I made a guitar, I was at an open mike one night playing and someone saw it and wanted one like it, it just kind of took off from there. Some bands started getting wind of them and ordering them, I started with acoustic and then moved on to electric, pretty soon I had enough money to open the store."

Rachel smiled widely as he spoke. "You are a successful business owner."

Puck shrugged once more but she could see the tips of his ears were pink, contradicting his nonchalant attitude.

"Noah, that's amazing!"

Puck gave her a half smile. "Thanks."

Rachel noticed a sleek black guitar in a glass case on the wall. "That one is beautiful."

"BG." Puck looked at the guitar. "The one that started it all, that was my first one."

"BG?" Rachel asked curiously.

Puck cleared his throat and looked away from her, walking over to his work desk, he shuffled some designs. "Ah, Baby Girl."

Rachel reeled back. "You gave your guitar your old nickname for me?"

"Well," Puck smiled amused. "I also gave her your curves, so I figured it was appropriate."

Rachel whipped her head back to look at the guitar. "You're insane."

Puck laughed at the comment, happy when she joined him with a chuckle of her own. Letting it slowly die out, he took a seat on his stool. "Rachel, I… we need to talk about that night."

Rachel walked over to him and leaned against his desk. "I'm not sure I would like that."

"I doubt either of us will." Puck said sincerely. "As a matter of fact, my reasons might just piss you off even more, but at least you'll know them, right?"

Rachel swallowed and nodded.

"I was an idiot."

Rachel snorted. "No argument."

Puck looked at her for moment and gave her a half smile. "You and Quinn are more alike than either of you realize."

"What?"

Puck shook his head. "Never mind, you remember when we got together the summer before junior year? You made me work for it, getting you to agree to go out with me, getting you to kiss me, agreeing to be my girlfriend. I worked for all of it with you and when we got together, you made me work for everything else. You made sure I went to class, got my work done, study for test. I went from a slacker who spend his math period in his truck napping to a student teachers praised. And we thought it would be enough you know? We made plans to leave together. New York was waiting, so was NYU."

"I remember." Rachel interrupted, remembering all those dreams she had of their future, of taking New York by storm with her gorgeous boyfriend by her side, being amazing himself. Arriving at her dream city without him had been heart-breaking.

"Well, we didn't take into account the years of school where I had done nothing; we thought those two years were enough." Puck said quietly. "NYU didn't think so."

"They didn't accept you?" Rachel realized she did not need an answer. "Noah, that still doesn't explain…"

"You wouldn't have left." Puck blurted out.

Rachel look at him startled. "What?"

"Had I told you…" Puck continued. "If I had told you that come fall I had no plans, that New York was out, you would have stayed here."

Rachel shook her head, emotions closing her throat as her eyes burned.

Watching the action, Puck smiled bittersweet. "You say that now, 'cause its years later. But then, it would have been a different story. You loved me with everything you had, Rachel, I knew that 'cause I love you the same way. You would have stayed; I knew the only way would be if you hated me, if I disappointed you. So I did, I wasn't going to be the loser who kept you here, I couldn't… not after everything you had given me for those two years."

Rachel couldn't stop the tears from running down her face. "Noah, you were so cruel that night."

"I was selfish." Puck whispered. "I knew I was going to end it that night, I stayed away from you most of the night 'cause I knew when I dropped you off, I was going to break up with you and then you found me outside and you looked up at me with those big brown eyes of yours and I couldn't stop myself from reaching out for you, I knew I'd never get the chance to touch you again. So I made love to you out there and then… you said you loved me and I was seconds from dropping to my knees and begging you not to leave me, all I wanted was for you to stay, so before I could stop myself I was ending it, in the worst possible way."

"You could have come with me." She said quietly. "Even without NYU, we could have gone together."

"And what, Rach?" Puck asked. "Do nothing, work some minimum wage job? You deserved better than that."

"Deserve?" Rachel asked. "I don't deserve that night, Noah."

"I know." Puck answered. "Trust me, Rachel, I knew that very night that I was an idiot, but the damage was done and you were leaving, which is what needed to happen."

Rachel shook her head sadly and pointed around. "And all this?"

Puck looked around his workshop. "I wanted to be someone worthy of you, I wanted you to be proud of me."

"I am, Noah." Rachel answered as she placed her hand over his. "But…"

"I know." He stopped her. "I wish this was enough and we could just go back to the way we use to be, but I know that's not the way it works. I love you."

Rachel gave him a pained expression, hating the fact that her heart started to beat faster at his confession. "Noah…"

"Let me finish." He asked. "I love you and I've never stopped, not once. I know what I did was horrible and it can't just be washed away, but I can work for it. I don't mind, I never did. It's one of the things I loved about us, about you, you never made it easy, but you sure as hell made it rewarding. So I'm willing to work hard for your trust and your forgiveness. You're worth it, Rachel, you always were."


End file.
